Creating a Smart Hydration Plan

Staying properly hydrated during exercise is essential to help you feel and perform at your best. Research shows that just a small percent change in body weight, due to a loss of fluid from sweat, can place a big strain on your body during exercise.

The following information, provided by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, can help you put together a smart hydration plan to get the most out of your workouts and active occasions.*

How Much To Drink

After a long workout, when you lose a pound or two of weight, you may think this is fat loss. However, rapid weight loss is an indicator of fluid loss and not of desirable body-weight change.

When you lose this type of weight, your’e losing fluids your body needs to perform and function properly. That’s why it’s important to replace the amount of fluid lost in sweat so that you are able to feel and perform at your best.

Sweat rates vary from one person to the next. Therefore, the best way for active people to stay properly hydrated is to know your own sweat rate and to drink to match your fluid losses. An easy way to gauge your hourly sweat rate is by using the following equation.

Sweat Rate Equation

Weight lost during exercise (in ounces) + Fluid consumed during exercise = The amount (in ounces) you should be drinking to replace sweat losses.

Note: As a helpful indicator, typically one gulp of fluid equals one ounce.

This does not account for any urine loss if a person needs to stop during exercise and use the restroom.

*Drink to replace sweat; don’t overdrink.

Sweat Rate Equation Example

Let's say you’e a 130-pound female, and after a one-hour intensive workout, you lost half a pound. During that hour, you also drank 24 ounces of fluid. Using the sweat rate equation:

(130−129.5) = 1/2 lb. of fluid loss = 8 oz. of weight (in fluid) loss.

Now, add to that how much you drank during that hour:

8 oz. + 24 oz. of fluid consumed = 32 oz. of body fluid loss per hour.

Your total hourly sweat rate would, therefore, be 32 ounces (8 oz. + 24 oz.), and you should try to replace that full amount each hour during similar workouts. In this example, drinking eight ounces of fluid every 15 minutes would do it. (32 oz./4 = 8 oz. every 15 minutes.)

Note: One pound of fluid loss = 16 ounces of fluid.

However, if you are unable to determine your hourly sweat rate or don’t have access to a scale that measures weight loss in ounces, a good rule of thumb is to use the following fluid recommendations to determine how much to drink:

Recommended Drinking Guidelines—Before, During, and After Exercise

Before: Drink 17–20 oz. two to three hours before activity, and drink an additional 7–10 oz. of fluid 10–20 minutes before working out.

During: Drink approximately 7–10 oz. every 15 minutes.

After: Drink at least 20 oz. per pound of weight loss within two hours.

Volume recommendation based on the NATA Position Statement: Fluid Replacement for Athletes

What To Drink

While there is a variety of beverage options to choose from when deciding what to drink before, during, and after exercise, below are some of the more popular beverages to help with hydration:

Plain water: While plain water provides fluid that is essential for bodily functions, it can be challenging for active people to drink enough plain H₂0 to stay well hydrated.
- In fact, research shows that active people and athletes tend to replenish only about half of the fluids they lose during a workout when they drink just water.² This is due to water’s lack of taste and flavor, and the fact that water can shut off the thirst mechanism prematurely.
Fitness waters: A fitness water is a lightly flavored alternative to plain water to help active people drink more.
- Research demonstrates that atheletes and exercisers will typically drink more of a lightly flavored beverage than plain water and will, therefore, stay better hydrated before, during, and after activity.² This translates into less risk of becoming dehydrated and affecting your physical and mental performance.
- Look for a fitness water that is low in calories, such as Propel Fitness Water, that contains just 10 calories per eight ounces.
Sports drinks: For those who need to rehydrate and refuel for performance, a sports drink, such as Gatorade, is the optimal beverage of choice.
- Sports drinks contain flavor as well as electrolytes, including sodium and potassium, which replace what is lost through sweat.
- Sports drinks also contain carbohydrates that fuel working muscles and fight fatigue.^3,4 Look for a sports drink with a carbohydrate level of about 6% (14 grams per eight ounces), which has been demonstrated by research to help fuel the active body quickly and supply enough energy to working muscles.⁵

Additional Hydration Hints

When active, do not rely on your thirst. When you are hot and sweaty, your thirst mechanism can shut off too soon, tricking your body into believing that you are not thirsty and placing you at risk of dehydration. Drinking on a schedule based upon your sweat loss before, during and after exercise can help you stay properly hydrated so that you can feel and perform at your best.

Fluids are not absorbed any faster when consumed cold or at room temperature. Contrary to popular belief, temperature does not affect fluid absorption. You should drink a beverage at a temperature that is most appealing to you. For most exercisers, cold fluids are preferred. To keep your favorite beverage cold during a workout, freeze that bottle before you exercise or head to the gym.

Check the color of your urine to determine your hydration level. If the color of your urine looks like the color of apple juice, that is a good indication that you are dehydrated. If the color of your urine looks more like the color of lemonade, that indicates you are doing a good job at staying hydrated.

For More Info

For more information on hydration, please visit the Gatorade Sports Science Institute at www.gssiweb.com For more information on various hydration beverages, please visit www.propelfitnesswater.com and www.gatorade.com.

*Drink to replace sweat; don’t overdrink.

1. Sanchez and Pandolf. 1990. Perspectives in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine. Vol. 3, 1–38. 2. Passe, D. 2001. Sports Drinks—Basic Science & Practical Aspects. Maughan, R. S. & R. Murray (Eds.), Chapter 3. New York: CRC Press 3. Below, P. R., et al. 1995. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 27:200–210. 4. Utter, A., et al. 1997. Int. J. Sport Nutr. 7:274–285. 5. Shi, X., et al. 1995. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 27:200–210.

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